Levi Quinn asked:


Selecting an infant car seat is one of the most important moves a parent can make to protect a little bundle of joy from Day One. Picking out a seat, unfortunately, is not as easy as it sounds. There are some pretty strict rules of the road when it comes to doing so.

Before attempting to purchase a seat for a newborn or toddler, it is imperative to have a few basic facts handy. These things will impact what kind of seat should be purchased:

The child's age - Although state laws vary, there are generally rules on the book that dictate whether a rear- or forward-facing seat is required. Also, the time to move up to a booster seat will also be partially dictated by age in many jurisdictions.

The child's weight - This is a very strong factor in determining the type of car seat that is needed. It is not uncommon for a rear-facing seat to be needed until a child reaches at least 22 pounds.

State laws - Since laws do vary from state to state, it is very wise to brush up on the rules of the road locally before investing in a car seat. This becomes particularly important when making the decision to switch a child out of a regular infant/toddler seat to a booster.

Collecting basic facts is only the first step that goes into selecting a good car seat. The next thing purchasers should do is research different seats based on safety ratings and also recommendations for the make and model of the vehicle the baby will be riding in. Not all car seats are designed to work with every vehicle on the road. If there is any question about what seat would work best in a vehicle, it is not a bad idea to seek out advice from a professional. Many local police and fire departments have certified child passenger safety technicians on staff.

Proper Installation Is Vital

Picking out the right car seat for the child and vehicle in question is not enough to increase the odds of safety. For a car seat to work properly, it must be installed right and used correctly every time. To make sure this is done, be certain to:

Use the instructions - Read manufacturer installation instructions thoroughly before trying to install an infant car seat into any vehicle. If instructions are not clear or there are questions about how a seat fits in a particular vehicle, check with a technician or call the company that manufactured the seat.

Check the fit - A car seat should fit snugly within a vehicle and not tip over. If it does not feel right, it is not.

Make sure the child is properly secured - The belt part of any car seat should fit snugly on the child. The center clip should rest at armpit level.

Selecting and installing a car seat is an important task for any parent. To make sure a child is properly secured, carefully research the purchase and how to tackle installation. If there are any questions or concerns, it is always smart to check with a certified technician. Many communities even play host to installation workshops where technicians will either install a seat for parents or teach them how to do it right.



Alexis

Levi Quinn asked:


When you think about accessorizing your car, often it will be the cool, exciting things like a new stereo or alloy wheels that come to mind. But for any driver who has kids, the fact is that you are a parent first and foremost, and before anything else in terms of importance comes the infant car seat. You will never make a more important accessory purchase for your car, and there will never be more importance behind getting the right one. With so many on the market, you will have to make sure that the one you buy is suited to your child and – most importantly – safe for them.

As the above paragraph may suggest, it is therefore not a decision that you want to rush. Although it is certainly important to buy a car seat for your child, it is more important that you get it right, even if this takes some time, than doing it quickly. You can congratulate yourself for getting a bargain only when you are certain that it will fit your child. The Internet is a good first stop, after you have measured your child. Take into account the size and weight of your child, because a poorly-fitted car seat will either restrict their movement or fail to hold them – either eventuality can lead to problems.

The ease of installation is another essential consideration. Any parent with experience in the realm of child car seats will tell you that a good car seat never makes its value more pronounced and more evident than when it is pouring with rain, blowing a gale outside and light is at a premium. At such times your child is likely to be crying and you are likely to be tired, and you want the whole process to go quickly and smoothly so you can both get home and you can get your child somewhere warm and cosy with a favorite toy. A technically-advanced wonder seat may offer this many adjustments and that many add-ons, but when you just want to get the darn thing installed, none of this matters.

As well as fitting your child, the seat must also fit your car. This is never more pronounced than when you see the old cliché on television of a young professional learning that they are going to be a parent, and looking out sadly at their two-seat, low slung sports car, which they know they are going to have to trade in for a model which can hold a car seat. Considering your child does not mean you need to buy a boring car, or necessarily that you will even have to change your car at all, but you will be required to take into account the dimensions of your car when buying a child seat for it. There are a good many sites on the Internet where you can check out how well a particular child seat will fit a particular car – the Car Seat Compatibility Database being a particularly sound bet.

And there is, of course, the final check – ask any friends who have become parents what set-up they have chosen and how it works for them. They will not always have the same requirements and speculations to work to as you will, but they will be able to give you some tips.



Mohamed